You can drink beer and take viagra, but it’s no
guarantee that your sex life will improve. In fact,
it’s more than likely that things will go in the opposite
direction. However, there are various ways that you
can incorporate beer drinking with your doctor’s
prescribed medication, so you can still keep your
sexual function. In this article, we will discuss the
dos and don’ts of mixing alcohol and medication
together.
What Should You Avoid?
It’s important to remember that while there are
reputable doctors who will advise you to consume
alcohol during treatment with certain medications,
this is not always the case. Sometimes a combination
of alcohol and medication can cause serious
complications, including but not limited to:
- severe headache
- dizziness
- irritability
- difficulty sleeping
- disorientation
- impaired judgment
- impaired coordination
- memory loss
- blackout episodes
As a general rule, you should also avoid drinking
alcoholic beverages while taking any medication, as
the alcohol will simply cancel out the effects of
the medication. However, in some cases, a small
drink (e.g., a beer) can actually help improve
compliance with a medication regimen, so long as
the other components of the regimen are not
contraindicated by your doctor. That said,
consumption of alcohol isn’t always bad, and in some
cases it can even be good for you. For example,
alcohol has been shown in studies to reduce
inflammation, which can be problematic for people
with heart disease or diabetes. So, if you’re going
to drink, it’s important to understand the
implications and precautions that go along with it.
Is It Allowed?
While there are various circumstances under which
it’s acceptable to drink alcohol while on
medication, the general rule is that you shouldn’t.
However, there are exceptions. For example,
hypnotic medications (i.e., the kind that put you
in a trance) have been shown in studies to reduce
the intoxicating effects of alcohol.
Similarly, various antibiotics have been
successfully used to treat heavy alcohol
consumption. So, if you’re taking one of these
medications, it’s generally allowed, but you should
still check with your doctor to be on the safe
side.
When Can You Drink Beer?
While there are certain medications that you
can’t drink and take (e.g., morphine), most
medications have no real restrictions when it comes
to whether or not you can consume alcohol.
As a general rule, you should wait at least 30
minutes between drinking alcohol and taking
medication. The reason for this is that the effects
of alcohol can be exaggerated if you take it
immediately after drinking. This could possibly
result in adverse events, including but not limited
to:
- bruising
- drying out
- low blood pressure
- nausea
- impaired coordination
- hallucinations
- irritability
- light-headedness
- fainting
- dizziness
- confusion
- impaired judgment
- black-outs
- vertigo
- impaired memory
- slurred speech
- insomnia
- anxiety
- difficulty concentrating
- tingling sensations
- hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
- migraines
- joint pain
- heartburn
Is It Cheaper?
Ultimately, the cost of medication is becoming a
major issue, and as a result, many insurance
companies don’t cover the cost of some medications,
including but not limited to:
- bio-therapy drugs (e.g.,
medication that helps to restore the body’s
natural functions) - immunotherapy drugs
(e.g., medication that enhances the body’s
immune system) - targeted therapy drugs
(e.g., medication that targets a specific
cancerous tumor)
As a result, if you’re able to get the medication
yourself (either with your insurance or with
discretionary funds), it may be preferable to purchase
it.
When Should You Drink Beer?
Aside from the general rule that you shouldn’t
consume alcohol while on medication, there are
also times when it’s preferable to drink
alcoholic beverages. As a general matter, when people
are asked to choose between ethanol (i.e.,
alcohol) and aspirin, they typically choose ethanol.
This is probably because alcohol has been
demonstrably effective in treating various
ailments and infections. Additionally, some
antibiotics (e.g., the tetracyclines) have been
shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, which
means that they can reduce the side effects of
alcohol (e.g., inflammation). So, if you’re
going to drink alcohol, you might as well choose a
high-quality brand that you know has been stored
properly and won’t cause harm.
Do You Need A Consultation?
Another important consideration is whether or not
you actually need a consultation with your
doctor. Sometimes when people are asked to choose
between alcohol and medication, they think that
they must have a consultation to decide if it’s
safe to drink while taking the medication.
However, this is not always necessary. If you’re
not sure whether or not alcohol will interact with
your medication, you don’t actually need a
consultation. You can simply ask your pharmacist
for information on whether or not alcohol will
cancel out the effects of your medication. If your
pharmacist doesn’t know the answer, then he or she
can certainly find out for you.
Of course, if you do decide that you need a
consultation, then you should probably see your
doctor to discuss the pros and cons of drinking
while taking medication. However, even then, it
doesn’t necessarily follow that you have to choose
one over the other. There are numerous cases
where people have incorporated both ethanol and
their medication regimen successfully (e.g.,
fish oil and vitamin E for liver disease,
coenzyme Q10 for heart disease, and so on).
In some instances, it might actually be preferable
to combine the two. For example, some
antibiotics (e.g., the tetracyclines) have been
shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, which
means that they can reduce the side effects of
alcohol (e.g., inflammation). So, if you’re going
to drink, you might as well choose a high-quality
brand that you know has been stored
properly and won’t cause harm.
Final Note
It should be noted that the specific
combinations of medication and alcohol that
seem to work well are often specific to
individuals and their ailments. So, while there
are certainly some general rules when it comes to
combining the two, you should not simply
generalize from the studies that have been
done. Always consult with your doctor as to what
combination of medication and alcohol would be
appropriate for you.